Dissecting board and head clamp



May 9, 1967 J. A. BRIGGS DISSECTING BOARD AND HEAD CLAMP Filed Nov. 9, 1964 m5 6 we m5 m. M m M J United States Patent 3,318,597 DISSECTING BOARD AND HEAD CLAMP Jamalaho Abel Briggs, 515 W. 168th St., New York, N.Y. 10032 Filed Nov. 9, 1964, Ser.No. 409,684 3 Claims. (Cl. 269-328) This invention relates to surgical dissecting boards, and is concerned with the provision of a dissecting board having many improved features over the conventionally available apparatus of this class.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a dissecting board which has readily adjustable limb anchors which may be oriented at will with relationship to the animal.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dissecting board having a novel head clamp structure which will hold the head firmly and permit accurate adjustment of the precise position and elevation to enable intricate operations to be performed in the head region.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a dissecting board of the above class which can be rotated at will in either direction to assist the operator in his work and to enable the animal to be inspected by students without need for them to move around the table and board.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a highly versatile dissecting board which is simple in construction, and may readily be manufactured for retail at reasonable cost.

A full understanding of the construction of this invention, together with further novel features and advantages, will be had from the following detailed description of two preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elementary componcnts of the dissecting board being utilized to mount and hold a small animal for dissection purposes.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation shown partly in cross section of the limb securing means used to anchor the limb from any desired point on the board.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the special head clamp which forms part of this invention.

'FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the dissecting board incorporating all the features of my invention and including an added facility for enabling the board to be rotated in either direction on an electric-ally operated turntable.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 represents a rectangular stainless steel plate which serves as a dissecting board and also as a hinged lid to a plastic container 6 disposed therebeneath. The container serves as a storage for dissecting tools and like instruments, and a lock 7 may be provided if so desired. The stainless steel plate is preferably about two or three millimeters thick and may readily be cleaned after use without danger or staining or corroding.

The limb anchors have disc shaped magnetic bases 8 which enables the anchor to be positioned and moved at any time. A tubular post 9 upstands from the magnetic base 8 and has a hole 10 'etxending diametrically therethrough adjacent the base 8. The top of the tubular post has a concentric collar 11 which defines a hole 12 extending into the post. A plunger .13 is slideably received through the hole 12 and engages at its inner end against .a small compression spring 14 which constantly urges the plunger outwardly through the hole 12. The plunger 13 also has a diametric hole 15 formed therethrough which can be selectively aligned with the hole '10 to enable an elastic cord 16 to be threaded therethrough. Release of 3,318,597 Patented May 9, 1967 the plunger will draw the cord into the collar and prevent any movement of the cord through the collar. The other end of the elastic cord terminates with a clamp 17 which is used to secure a limb or other body portion. The type of clamp is a matter of choice, and by way of example I have provided two arcuate jaws 18 which are pivoted together at 19, and are adjusted by means of a thumb screw 20 to permit clamping with any desired pressure. The jaws may be rubber coated so as to prevent damage to the animal and enable free circulation of blood in the clamped portion of the limb. Such a clamp offers a distinct advantage over the conventional dissecting pin or similar gadget.

The head clamp is shown 'in detail in FIG. 3, and comprises a rectangular permanent magnet 21 as a base to permit secure positioning anywhere on the steel plate 5. A hinge 22 is secured on one end of the magnet 21 and mounts a rectangular platform 23 on which the head or other animal portion is laid. The angular relationship of the platform 23 to the mounting board is made adjustable by providing a thumb screw 24 which threadably engages through a small hole formed in the platform at the end thereof remote from the hinge 22. The protruding end of the thumb screw engages with the permanent magnet base so as to retain the desired angular relationship. Spaced brackets 25 project upwardly and normally from the side edges 26 of the platform. Each bracket has a central threaded hole formed normally therethrough to receive a thumb screw 27 which extends inwardly between the spaced brackets to terminate with a small clamping pad 28. The advantages of this clamp structure will be fully apparent to those familiar with the dissecting act.

FIG. 4 discloses a modified arrangement of the above described components. In this instance the stainless steel dissecting board comprises a circular disc 29 which performs as a turntable and is mounted for rotation by an electric motor disposed within the mounting box 30'. The box 30 may be made of plastic material, and may if desired incorporate a drawer 31 for the storage of instruments and like equipment. The mechanism within the box will not be referred to in detail since it does not form part of the present invention. It is intended that two operating buttons 32 and 33 be provided in opposite corners of the box to rotate the turntable in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions as indicated by adjacent arrows. Remote operation of the turntable may be accomplished through a terminal 34 mounted in the side of the box. A twin foot pedal and stand 35 locate on the floor for operation by foot and a cable 36 connects the foot pedal with the terminal 34 so as to permit operation of the turntable whilst leaving both hands free to work on the operation being performed. This feature is especially useful when performing sterile technique procedures.

The invention is an invaluable apparatus for use in research laboratories, and especially in colleges, medical schools, and universities. A teacher can readily demonstrate to a large class by rotating the board as necessary so that all can see without strain or unnecessary movement around the board. It should be stated also that the head clamp may also be used to elevate the trunk or abdomen portions of the animal to facilitate in operations performed in such regions.

Having described the invention in a preferred form, it will be appreciated that some modifications may be made to the precise configuration, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A dissecting board and head clamp apparatus for dissecting small animals, comprising, a steel plate, limb one end of tne elastic cord, a head clamp, a magnetic.

block forming the base of the head clamp, brackets upstanding from the block in a spaced relationship, and thumb screws extending towards each other through threaded holes formed through the brackets to clamp a body segment of the animal therebetween.

2. A dissecting board and head clamp according to claim 1, wherein a platform is hingedly mounted at one end to the base of the head clamp, a thumb screw threadably engaging through a hole formed through the platform remotely from the hinge and engaging at its end with the base of the head clamp to adjust and maintain any desired angular relation between the platform and the steel plate. 7

3. A dissecting board and head clamp apparatus for dissecting small animals, comprising, a box, a, stainless steel circular disc mounted on top of the box, remote means for rotating the disc in either direction, limb anchors, each anchor comprising a magnetic base for mounting firmly on the disc, a tubular post upstanding 4, from the magnetic base, an elastic cord extending through a hole formed diametrically through the post, a spring loaded plunger for selectively locking the cord with respect to the post, a limb clamp secured to one end of the cord, a head clamp, said head clamp including a fiat magnetic base, a platform hinged at one end to the base,

a thumb screw threadably engaging through a hole formed A through the platform to adjust the angular position of the platform with respect to the disc, brackets upstanding from opposite sides of the platform, andfurther thumb clamps threadably extending towards each other through the brackets to grippingly engage a body segment of an animal therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,684,064 6/1954 Thompson 269328 XR 2,966,383 12/1960 Boetcker et al 269.328 3,040,174 6/ 1962 Robin 269328 XR WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

W. D. BRAY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DISSECTING BOARD AND HEAD CLAMP APPARATUS FOR DISSECTING SMALL ANIMALS, COMPRISING, A STEEL PLATE, LIMB ANCHORS, EACH ANCHOR COMPRISING A MAGNETIC BASE FOR POSITIONING FIRMLY ON THE PLATE, AN ADJUSTABLE CLAMP MOUNTED ON THE BASE, AN ELASTIC CORD EXTENDING FROM THE ADJUSTABLE CLAMP, AND A LIMB CLAMPING MEANS SECURED TO ONE END OF THE ELASTIC CORD, A HEAD CLAMP, A MAGNETIC BLOCK FORMING THE BASE OF THE HEAD CLAMP, BRACKETS UPSTANDING FROM THE BLOCK IN A SPACED RELATIONSHIP, AND THUMB SCREWS EXTENDING TOWARDS EACH OTHER THROUGH THREADED HOLES FORMED THROUGH THE BRACKETS TO CLAMP A BODY SEGMENT OF THE ANIMAL THEREBETWEEN. 